SETTING HR STANDARDS IN SCHOOLS by Marius Meyer, CEO of SABPP.

1. SETTING HR STANDARDS IN SCHOOLS
BAFUNDISA CONFERENCE, 31 May 2018
Marius Meyer
CEO: SABPP
@SABPP1 @sabpp_1

2. A G E N D A
• Role of SABPP in advancing HR profession
• Our role in education and schools
• The importance of HR practice in school
performance and governance
• Latest update on the HR standards
• Growth and development of HR standards
projects in Africa
• HR standards and audit – school case study
• Conclusion

3. Managing HR risks in schools
“The answer to most HR problems is to act
quickly and decisively and seek the right
support. Investing resources into HR and
employment issues when they arise can save
schools a significant amount of time and
money down the line.”
Natalie Spink, Employment Solicitor for Education Services
(QA Education, 2017)

4. HR Professionalism Priorities

5. What are standards really?
• A level of acceptable quality
• Good enough in terms of professionalism
• What is good or normal or usual
• A guideline for practice
• A foundation for reasonable expectations
and sound judgement
• A basis for measurement (M&E)

6. 468 HR Leaders developing
HR Standards for South Africa

7. BUSINESS STRATEGY – HR BUSINESS ALIGNMENT
Strategic
HRM
Talent
Management
HR Risk
Management
HR ARCHITECTURE
I
HR VALUE &
DELIVERY PLATFORM
Work-
force
planning
Learning
&
Deve-
lopment
Perfor-
mance
Mana-
gement
Reward
&
Recogni-
tion
Em-
ployee
wellness
Employ-
ment
Rela-
tions
Organi-
sation
Deve-
lopment
HR Service
Delivery
HR Technology
(HRIS)
Prepare
Imple-
ment
Review ImproveHR MEASUREMENT
HR Audit: Standards & Metrics
HRCOMPETENCIES
© SABPP HR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM STANDARD MODEL

8. Importance of HR in schools
“Schools employ hundreds of employees depending
on the size of the school. This represents a highly
legitimate requirement to have HR Management in
place doing all of the typical functions (recruitment,
training, organisation development etc).”
Optimum Direct in Quora (2018)

9. BUSINESS STRATEGY – HR BUSINESS ALIGNMENT
Strategic
HRM
49
Talent
Management
37
HR Risk
Management
54
FUNCTIONAL & CROSS FUNCTIONAL HR VALUE CHAIN
HR VALUE &
DELIVERY PLATFORM
Work-
force
Planning
48
Learning
53
Perfor-
mance
52
Reward
56
Well-
ness
59
ERM
61
OD
45
HR Service
Delivery
49
HR Technology
(HRIS) 49
Prepare
Imple-
ment
Review ImproveMEASURING HR SUCCESS 41
HR Audit: Standards & Metrics
HRCOMPETENCIES
AUDITED RATINGS – OVERALL AVERAGE
(39 companies audited)

10. H R R I S K S – 8 African countries
• Safety - accidents
• Skills shortages/gaps
• Incompetence
• Employee
disengagement
• Strikes & poor
employment
relationships
• Fraud/corruption
• Stress
• Staff turnover
• Low staff satisfaction –
impact on customer
satisfaction
• Absenteeism
• Conflict/disputes
• Diversity problems
• Sexual harassment
• Expatriate issues
• Non-compliance

11. HR Standards Files
13 standards (2013) 23 standards (2014)

12. HR Professional Practice Standards
• Absenteeism management
• Career management
• Coaching & mentoring
• Collective bargaining
• Disciplinary procedure
• Dispute resolution
• Diversity management
• Grievance procedure
• Leadership development
• Learning design
• Learning evaluation
• Learning needs analysis
• On-boarding
• Organisation design
• Performance appraisals
• Recruitment
• Remuneration benchmarking
• Selection
• Succession planning

13. International interest

14. HR Standardisation in Africa
Statutory
Recognition
1997 2012 2013 2017
Standards
Development/
Adoption/Training
2013 2014 2014 2018 2018
Auditors trained
2014 2015 2015 2016 2017
Audits conducted
against standards
2014 2017
Academic interest
2013 2017 2017 2017 2018

15. Involvement in Education
Education HR Standards/Audits
improvement projects improving HR practice

16. 20+ Universities

17. 3 Components of a Standard Element
How can we make it
work in practice?
Application
What do we want to
achieve?
Objectives
What is it?
Definition

18. STRATEGIC HR
MANAGEMENT STANDARD
DEFINITION
Strategic HR Management is a systematic
approach to developing and implementing
long-term HRM strategies, policies and plans
that enable the organisation to achieve its
objectives.
SABPP (2013)
❶

19. STRATEGIC HR
MANAGEMENT STANDARD
OBJECTIVES
1.2.1 To ensure the HR strategy is derived from and aligned to the organisation’s
objectives in consultation with key organisational stakeholders.
1.2.2 To analyse the internal and external socio-economic, political and
technological environment and provide proactive people-related business
solutions.
1.2.3 To provide strategic direction and measurements for strategic innovation and
sustainable people practices.
1.2.4 To provide a foundation for the employment value proposition of the
organisation.
1.2.5 To establish a framework for the HR element of the organisation’s
governance, risk and compliance policies, practices and procedures which
balance the needs of all stakeholders.
1.2.6 To determine an appropriate HR structure, allocate tasks and monitor the
development of HR competence to deliver HR strategic objectives.
SABPP (2013)

20. STRATEGIC HRM PROCESS
Framework of
HR policies &
programmes
Environmental
scan (PESTL)
HR structure, service
model and capability
development
People strategy
HR
strategic
agenda
Organisation’s
strategic intent
HR
strategic
agenda
HR
business
plan
People
strategy
Allocate roles &
responsibilities
(line/HR/support
functions)
MONITOR &
EVALUATE

21. Strategic HR: It is all about alignment

22. What the Auditors are looking for?
Positive trend in
results?
Sustainable?
Targets met?
External benchmarks?
Approach vs results?
Quality of
results
Across whole
organisation?
Up and down the
organisation?
Extent of
application
Sound?
Systematic?
Integrated?
Reviewed & updated?
Quality
approach

23. Value of HR Audits
“An HR Management performance audit is future orientated
and can identify areas for organisational improvement. HR
Auditing crosses the boundaries between HR management
and auditing … it can be a suitable method for evaluating the
contribution of HR activities to organisational objectives
assessed on the basis of value for money.”
Dr Chris Andrews, HR Director: Bond University

24. St Stithians College
A Case Study

25. St Stithians College
• ‘Inspiring Excellence, Making a World of Difference’
• College of 7 Schools with 2600 learners
• 500+ staff
• Values based approach
• Methodist Church School
• Leading educational institution
• Committed to academic excellence and support
across the range of student ability
• Educate thinkers, leaders and citizens for today and
tomorrow
• Innovation and excellence
• Passionate, conscientious and proud culture

26. Experience of HR Standards
and Audit
• Decision to conduct audit
• Preparing for the audit
• The actual audit - not a typical “audit experience”
• Post audit feedback and consolidation of recommendations
• Confirmed areas of excellence and highlighted areas
needing focus

27. Feedback from school staff
• Management and employees commended the HR Department for
their friendly demeanour, availability and willingness to go the extra
mile in resolving queries
• Effective HR Policies are in place and an effective 3-4-year review
process exists
• It is evident that HR employee capacity building is taking place
• Line management are well trained and given opportunities on
people related legislative changes
• Implementing the recommendations of the HR Auditors
• Strong link with the 2017 HR priorities for the school

28. HR Audit - Certification

29. Some Useful Tips
• Proper understanding of HR Standards and
impact on the school
• Time to prepare for an audit
• Communication & Support
• Formalisation and documentation required
• The audit day itself
• The auditors insights & advice
• Strong link with HR priorities at the school
• Leadership is key

30. Steps
1. Start with your school strategy
2. Develop an HR strategy for the school
3. Build HR capacity in schools
4. Compare current practice vs standards
5. Identify alignment and gaps
6. Fill gaps
7. Continuous improvement

31. South African Leadership Standard
©SABPP (2017)

32. HR-Education Link
“The necessity for schools to implement HR
Management is increasingly acknowledged.
Specifically, HR Management holds the potential of
increasing student outcomes through the increased
involvement, empowerment and motivation of
teachers.”
Piety Punhaar
(Education Management Administration & Leadership, 2016)

33. Conclusion
The National HR Standards have changed the
face of people management in South Africa.
The HR Standards usher in a new period of
institutionalising people management as a
best practice for sound HR professionalism
and business impact in organisations.
Well done to St Stithians for leading the way!
Best wishes raising the standard of HR
practice and education in South African
schools. Our children deserve the best!

34. We set HR standards!
professional@sabpp.co.za or registrations@sabpp.co.za
(Professional Registration)
executiveoffice@sabpp.co.za (CEO office)
marius@sabpp.co.za (CEO & Strategy inputs)
xolani@sabpp.co.za (COO)
hrstandards@sabpp.co.za (HR Standards)
hraudit@sabpp.co.za (HR Audits)
hrri@sabpp.co.za (Research)
naren@sabpp.co.za (Learning & Quality)
events@sabpp.co.za (Events & HR Standards files)
Website: www.sabpp.co.za Blog: sabpp/blog
Tel: +27 010 007 5906